The Great Drive, Day Two

[mabfan]

Today is day two of the Great Drive, and Josh and Rachel made sure to send me lots more pictures for everyone's amusement.

They started in West Virginia, where they stayed last night. They went to an Amish farmer's market to get snacks for the trip, and before they left the state, they made sure to view the state capital in Charleston.

The Capitol Building, West Virginia 07-11-2008

They eventually made it to the border with Kentucky, thanks to Sue's help.

Sue, the Marvelous GPS 07-11-2008

Josh told me that they passed the Daniel Boone National Forest at some point. He also says that they keep seeing three crosses on the side of the road, like they did yesterday. He's wondering if it represents anything specific. Anyone know?

Apparently, they had a bad experience getting coffee at a McDonald's, but Josh was trying to tell me about it while his cell phone signal was low, and I was working, so I'm not clear on the details. However, there was a point at which all three kids had an hour-long temper tantrum when they stopped for food.

Also, apparently at one point they were attacked by vicious bales of hay, that rolled down the hill and tried to crush them.

Bales of Hay 07-11-2008 "Oh, no! We'll be hit by a bale of hay!"

But they escaped and stayed on the road...

On the Road 07-11-2008

More Road 07-11-2008

And then eventually found a Starbucks.

Ah, Starbucks 07-11-2008

(Pop quiz: name who else is in the photo, on the right side.)

Interestingly enough, around 4 pm they were near Lexington, Kentucky, and I IMed my publisher and suggested that he get in touch with them. But alas, it is not to be, as Josh & Rachel & co. are settling in at a Louisville hotel tonight.

Anyone in Louisville who wants to meet my brother, let me know.

(Basic message repeats: Rachel is looking for a group with which to go see the new X-Files movie at the 10 pm showing on the night of Friday July 25 at the Eugene Valley River Center movie theater. She already has her ticket. Get in touch if you'd like to go see the movie with her.)

[Josh & Rachel's Trip Picture Gallery]

Comments

[joecoustic.livejournal.com]

The crosses might be what a lot of folks do in this area. They put crosses by the spot on the road/highway where a person died in a car accident. I never really counted but it might have always been three.

[kuroshii.livejournal.com]

there's tons of those "three cross" setups in west virginia...christian farmers look at a hill on their property, decide it reminds them of golgotha, and erect three crosses.

[joecoustic.livejournal.com]

I stand corrected. Seeing your post and others and checking out the photo link someone posted, these are different and far bigger than the type I was thinking of.

[kuroshii.livejournal.com]

that's OK, it's outside of most people's sphere of observation unless they're either local or have driven through WVa a bunch to have figured it out.

[spydielives.livejournal.com]

Your "Sue" is who is next to the Starbucks, of course. *grin*

My GPS's name is Jill. She is a Garmin Nuvi.

And here is a link about the crosses: http://www.thecross-photo.com/Crosses_Across_America_Inc.htm

[mabfan.livejournal.com]

Ours is also named Jill for the same reason.

[madwriter.livejournal.com]

joecoustic is right about placing a cross by the road at a fatal accident site, but the three crosses side by side are a Southern tradition representing the Crucifixtion of Christ. They'll usually be placed on a hill, because Golgotha was a hill, and the cross in the center will typically be the largest as Christ's was the center cross.

[scarlettina.livejournal.com]

Great trip blogging. I look forward to more.

A friend of mine and I were talking today about Josh's move and the (slight, ever-so-slight, no promises made) possiblity of your coming west to visit. We decided that though Josh, since he'll be living in Eugene, should go straight there and get the full dose of Eugene, mainlined right away, you and gnomi must come to Seattle first so you can be acclimated to the Liberal Seattle Air before you head down to Eugene for the full-blown Hippy-Dippy Pacific Northwest Experience. Because really, it requires some adjustment.

Trust me. :-)

[ruralwriter.livejournal.com]

I think the three crosses in the previous photo are related to http://www.christiancrosses.org/.

They're all in strange colors - a mint green and a mustard yellow in the center. Ick.

I remember reading an article in the local newspaper 25 years ago or so about the not insubstantial cost in erecting those and the question being raised, "Isn't there a better use for that money?"

That web site has a quote, "For the nine final years of his life, he obediently spent approximately $3,000,000 planting the clusters of three crosses in 29 states, District of Columbia, Zambia and The Philippines."